The Sebastopol Office: Open weekdays from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
We are closed for major holidays.
My Advisor
How should I contact my advisor?
Either call or email us. We always try to get back to you within 24 hours during the work week. Remember that emails do not always go through or can get lost in the spam folder. Please follow up with a phone call if you haven’t received a timely response.
When should I contact my advisor?
You should contact your advisor whenever you have a question or concern about your finances, or changes in your financial situation. If you are unsure about anything to do with money please, don’t hesitate to call us to talk about the issue.
Deposits
How do I make a deposit to my account/to whom do I make out the check?
You can mail a check to the Willow Creek Sebastopol office, or drop it by. Checks should be made payable to TD Ameritrade. Please indicate the name of the account for which the deposit is intended in the memo section of the check. If you are depositing money to a retirement account, also use that line to note the tax year for which the deposit is meant. Funds can be wired directly to your TD Ameritrade account from any financial institution, using TD Ameritrade’s wire instructions. If you would want to make systematic deposits either monthly or quarterly, you can set up an Automated Clearing House (ACH) deposit directly from your personal checking or savings account to your investment account.
Withdrawals
How can I get money out of my account?
Call or email us with the request. Any of us can take a request for cash. Please let us know when you will need the funds, and in what form you'd like to receive them (check, ACH, or wire). If you need to take a large withdrawal from your account that may involve trading, please call your advisor so we can plan ahead to accomodate your needs. Again, it's a good idea to let your advisor know the amount of any large check(s) in advance so we can ensure there is cash available to cover your withdrawal. Please do not leave withdrawal requests on voicemail.
In what ways can I take a withdrawal/ how long will it take to get my money?
You can take a withdrawal at any time; the only question is how you want to receive the funds. TD Ameritrade can mail a check to your address of record, Fed Funds can be wired directly to a bank account, or we can "ACH" money to your checking account. We can also set up automatic withdrawals for a fixed amount to be delivered monthly, quarterly, or to conform to any time frame you request. We can send money to a third party (a child, a friend, an escrow account) with your signed approval. Please discuss your general cash withdrawal needs with your advisor for planning purposes.
Assuming all paperwork is in place and funds are available in your account, we can wire you money for same day or next day delivery, depending on when the money is requested. ACH funds take a day after the request to arrive in your account, and checks, which are mailed from Omaha, may take up to a week to get to you.
Is there a charge for withdrawals?
There is no charge assessed by TD Ameritrade or Willow Creek for a standard withdrawal. If you want a check "overnighted", there is a $10 fee. ACH delivery of funds is free, but some receiving banks charge for incoming funds. Please keep in mind that there may be tax ramifications upon the sale of any investment in a taxable account.
My Account
Can you help me understand my TD Ameritrade/Quarterly Willow Creek Statement?
Bring them in or give us a call. Financial statements can be difficult to interpret and we are happy to go over them with you.
Can I view my accounts online at TD Ameritrade and can I get my statements/trade confirmations online?
Yes. If you have an account with us and want this option, please contact Patti to set up online access to your TD Ameritrade account(s). Once you're connected, you'll be able to view your holdings and see previous statement and trade confirmations.
When you intially complete an application for an account at TD Ameritrade, you can choose to have your statement and confirms available for online viewing. You'll also receive email notification when a statement is posted to the website. Technical problems with online access don't happen often, but if they do, please call our office so we can address it in a timely way
Reviews of my Account
How often should I come in for a meeting with my advisor?
You can make an appointment as often as you want to, but we suggest you come in at least annually for an in-person meeting. These meetings give you an opportunity to have an in-depth discussion about your accounts, and to tell us about any changes in your life that may have an effect on your financial planning goals. They also allow us to keep you abreast of any new tax, estate, and retirement issues which may affect you.
Is there a charge for these meetings?
There is no charge to our clients who engage us for comprehensive wealth management; update meetings are included in our services. However, there may be a fee for financial planning updates which include a systematic review of new information. When charging for plan updates, we will always provide an estimate of the costs before we begin.
Investment Policy Statement
What is an Investment Policy Statement (IPS)?
An IPS is a document that establishes reasonable expectations, objectives and guidelines pertaining to the investments and management of your portfolio. The IPS provides both you and Willow Creek a clear directive on how your account will be managed. Willow Creek will not change the risk and return objectives of your IPS without first discussing the changes with you.
Additional Services
Business Planning
Divorce Planning
Estate Planning
Philanthropy/Charitable Giving
Real Estate Consulting
Retirement Planning
Socially Responsible Investing
Stock Option Analysis
Tax Planning
Clients often wonder who to call when they have a simple question or need money from their account. Actually any of us can take a money request or answer basic questions. Below is a list of Willow Creek employees and a brief description of what they do.
For something more complicated or when you need to take a large, unexpected sum from your account that may involve trading and tax issues, it usually is a good idea to speak with your advisor directly.
Front Desk
Patti Dedrick…Patti brings years of experience in the financial stock transfers industry to her position here at Willow Creek. All of you have probably met or spoken with Patti when you call in or need to execute new account paperwork. She is also our resident notary.
Advisors
Bruce Dzieza…Bruce is our founder and president. He specializes in all aspects of asset management, real estate and charitable giving as well as being our bond expert.
Heather Cleland…Heather is a partner and has had her CFP certification since 2000. She creates many of our comprehensive financial plans and serves as the company’s Chief Compliance Officer.
Jason Gittins…Jason is a partner, originally starting as an intern in 1996 from Sonoma State. He is our portfolio manager in addition to having his own roster of clients.
Teresa Mitchell…Teresa received her CFP in 2008 and spends much of her time on the financial planning side of the business. She also speaks with any prospective clientele. If you call late in the day you may find yourself speaking to Teresa.
Mark Keating… Mark is a CFP and also one of the company’s portfolio managers. Mark formerly worked in the wealth management division at Exchange Bank.
Financial Analysis
Kelly Noonan…No one has worked for Willow Creek Financial longer than Kelly, although many of you have not met her. As our CFO, she maintains our multiple databases and works closely with advisors in the rebalancing of your portfolios.
Ginny Folwell…Ginny is another staffer you may not have met. She has worked on executing trades as our portfolio administrator since 2005.
Administrative Support
Sheryl Harrigan…Sheryl is a long-time employee since 1999. She handles our billing and tax support.
Nancy Spallino…Nancy works part-time for Willow Creek on special projects. She often answers the phones and you may have seen her at the front desk when Patti is away.